Ok, so if you saw my post on Art Assignment 25, you can probably guess I am going to customize a book.Last time I justified my destroying/transforming an astronomy book that was out of date. However, this time I decided to choose a new book. Like many book nerds, I was raised to view bound texts as sacred objects. Even the thought of folding a page or *shudder* cracking the spine of a book seems unsettling to me. So when I decided to customize a book, I knew I would struggle a bit. In trying to change the essential nature of this book, I decided to introduce two things that are known destroyers of libraries; water and fire. As dramatic as that sounds, I actually used my bathroom sink and then my oven to accomplish my task. I have included some photos of my process below.

Process 1.

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Process 9.

When I first put the hardbound book into the sink I expected it to sink, (pun intended,) but it floated like a little raft. I had to push it under the water and stood amazed at all the bubbles of air that poured from between the pages. I would have photographed that part but I had to use both hands to hold onto the edges of the book. Books do not take kindly to getting wet!

Once my book was sufficiently soggy, I put it on a towel and began to sculpt. I chose the word ‘sculpt’ here because the pages were like thick stacks of papier-mache. I could twist, turn and fold them as much as I liked but I did have to be careful not to rip them as they were very delicate.

I left the sculpted book on its towel for a few hours and although I was glad to see it holding its shape, it wasn’t really drying out. It was time to bake my sculpture in the oven. I set my over to 190 and put the towel and the book onto a cookie tray. I baked the sculpture in one hour increments, giving it some time to cool in between. This took me the better part of a lazy Sunday, (probably about six hours total.) I was trying to get the edges of the paper to look a bit singed without setting my house on fire. I also wanted the book to be dry enough that it wouldn’t mold or rot. I think I accomplished both and I managed to make my whole house smell like warm paper; it’s a strangely comforting smell.

I really took Sarah’s critiques to heart and tried to play with the lighting in my photographs of the final product. Between the late afternoon sun in our back bedroom and a lamp, I was able to create a bit of an unusual glowing quality to my transformed object.

Sculpted Book.

Front.

Back.

Left.

Right.

Top.

Detail 1.

Detail 2.

Detail 3.

I love the fragments of text left behind by the folds in the paper. Here are a few of my favourites: